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CCC Reference Guide on Code Implementation & Verification
Section 1: Codes of labour practice
Concerns and Criteria related to the CCC Model Code
Concerns have been raised about the dangers of working with companies
on such projects. There are concerns that the campaign might be "co-opted"
by corporate interests and that involvement in these projects means that
campaigning activities are toned down (so far this has not happened!).
There is a fear that work on codes and monitoring takes up a disproportionate
amount of CCC time and resources, and that other possibilities aren't
investigated as thoroughly. Capacity problems - for the European coalition
members and those in the South that are involved with these issues -
are serious, so this seems to be a justified fear.
There is also concern that this kind of work legitimizes company codes,
promoting "voluntary" processes, and reinforces the withdrawal
of the state. Some are concerned that the campaign in a sense is taking
on the challenge of solving problems for companies, instead of solving
our own.
And in the long term there is a fear that these processes run the risk
of creating "good" multinationals and "bad" multinationals,
which would serve to legitimize international business practices in
general, when only the issue of basic labour standards is being addressed.
There are also concerns of international representation - in other words,
who has the right to represent who at that the international level?
Lastly, there is a concern that there are too many different initiatives
on monitoring and verification. Over the last ten years codes of conduct
and systems for their implementation have proliferated. Brands and retailers
are faced with multiple industry standards and suppliers are confused
by the numerous codes and initiatives. Better harmonization of procedures
and further cooperation is essential to address this confusion.
The CCC demands that companies wishing to apply its model code in
their business activities meet certain minimum criteria:
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The company has to accept all the labour standards outlined in
the model code as its own;
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The company has to agree in principle to accept the conditions
outlined for implementation and start making serious efforts including
working directly with labour-related NGOs and trade-unions in the
host countries and supplier countries;
- The company has to agree to the principle of (independent) verification
and work with credible multi-stakeholder initiatives to oversee, monitor,
and verify the implementation of the labour standards
For more detailed information see the proposals developed for
companies as part of the Play Fair at the Olympics Campaign by the ICFTU,
ITGLWF, CCC and Oxfam.
For CCC's position on code implementation see Annex 1 of the
Joint Initiative on Corporate Accountability and Workers' Rights - Draft
Code of Labour Practice
http://www.jo-in.org/pub/docs/JoIn-DraftCodeofLabourPrac3_en.pdf
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